Court Denies Autopsy Request in Asbestos Case

An appeals court denied a request for an autopsy of a plaintiff who died before trial was set to begin.

MesotheliomaCancerNews.com — An appeals court denied defendants in an asbestos related case their request for an autopsy of a plaintiff who died shortly before the beginning of trial. As reported by the New Jersey Law Journal, in the case of St. John v. Affinia Group, a New Jersey appeals court upheld the ruling of a trial judge who found that Chrysler Corp. and Honeywall did not demonstrate that an autopsy of a man with mesothelioma would produce important evidence for the case.

The plaintiff alleged in his case that he contracted the lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers while employed at a car-repair shop. St. John passed away days before the March 2 starting trial date. As noted in the report, the body of Harold St. John will be allowed to be laid to rest following the ruling.